


Fragrance

by justafallen



Category: VIXX
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Slow Romance, i hope u like my writing, i love these boys with my whole ass heart, lmao i haven't written in a long time, soulmate fic uwu
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-26
Updated: 2020-02-09
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:02:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21568072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justafallen/pseuds/justafallen
Summary: soulmate au.In a world where soulmates revolve around peculiar scents, Wonshik and Taekwoon run into each other and their world's explode with Snowkissed Citrus.
Relationships: Cha Hakyeon | N/Lee Jaehwan | Ken, Jung Taekwoon | Leo/Kim Wonshik | Ravi
Comments: 7
Kudos: 44





	1. Chapter 1

It was a busy day. Given that it was the week of Thanksgiving and Black Friday, the mall had been packed with shoppers trying to find their deal of the day to secure their gifts early for the Christmas season. So the Bath and Body Works that Wonshik had spent his last five hours in was bustling with customers. He greeted those that came in with a warm smile on his face as he adjusted the bottles on display and pretended like he enjoyed being in this space at this moment in time. 

He really did like working here -- it was just the rush of people during peak times like this that overwhelmed him. 

Wonshik spent the last hour of his shift as a cashier, gathering customers' items and mentioning the company's membership deals all with that same smile plastered onto his lips. By the time the gate was pulled down and locked, he was luckily that he didn't have to deal with any crazy ones today. Those were always the worst and tended to leave a lasting effect on him through the night. Once he restocked the supply up front and made sure all the displays were aligned and correct, he took a moment to revel in his work with a wide satisfied grin. 

His other coworkers were also doing the same, dividing the work since the space of the store was massive. Wonshik glanced around quickly to see if the coast was clear and wandered over to a section of the store with light steps. One of the newer scents they had stocked today had nearly been sold out and he wanted to know why. Throughout his workday he had wanted to know what it smelled like - since that was the obvious factor to their nearly empty shelves. The design of the bottle was just as eye catching as the rest of them with its name a cute two words.

Snowkissed Citrus. 

The smell was not what he thought at all. He had the bottle of lotion near his nose and was blinking in confusion as his mind's eye gave him a crazy visual. It was a cold crisp day with freshly powdered snow all around him. He sensed someone in front of him and before he could lift his head, he felt the arms of another person wrapped around his torso. And as he stood there stiff as a rock, the scent of the bottle he was holding flooded his senses once more. There was warm laughter in his ear and for some reason his heart was beating really - 

"Wonshik! We've finished on this side, let's get out of here!" 

Wonshik blinked and the scene his mind created flickered away to reveal his coworkers heading to the back room with their aprons already off. He followed after them in a daze and headed to his locker to change, the pleasant feeling he had felt from before already beginning to fade. 

"That was...strange." He muttered to himself as he rubbed the back of his neck in thought. Thinking to pay it no mind, he shook his head to forget about it, zipped up his coat and walked out the back door with his coworkers. 

\--------

"Wow, this is your next commission?" The voice in front of Taekwoon was in awe, making him glance up from his phone. 

Sat across from him was his longtime friend Hakyeon who was staring at his sketches on the table with admiration. He worked as a full time model and was already signed with a high end brand name. It wasn't difficult to see why. Even in a simple sweater and slacks, this man had already received glances of interest upon stepping into the coffee shop. 

Meanwhile, Taekwoon was working as a freelancer artist trying to get commissions from those that enjoyed his work. It made enough money for him to get by, and he genuinely loved what he did, but his family had been recently getting under his skin about the stability of it all. It had started to annoy him, so he had decided to finally tell Hakyeon about it -- since it bothered him more than he thought it would. So here they sat, in his favorite coffee shop although a bit off topic since Hakyeon had all but yanked his sketchbook out of his hands to admire his work. 

"Yeah, it is. I'll have it done by the end of the week to ship to them. Hopefully." Taekwoon replied before taking a sip from his cup. The bitterness of the coffee lingered at the back of his throat as he set the cup down and propped his chin on to his hand. 

"So, my family - " 

"Ah! Right! I was distracted for a bit, why didn't you remind me!" Hakyeon said as he carefully closed the sketchbook and slid it back to him. Taekwoon pursed his lips to his friend at his behavior but decided to shrug it off with a sigh.

"I love drawing, Hakyeon. I want to stay in this profession as much as I can. But my family's belief in me doesn't seem like much right now." He quietly explained as he caught the attentiveness of his friend's eyes on him. After a moment, Hakyeon leaned forward and reached up to pat Taekwoon on the shoulder consolingly. 

"Then stay in it, Taekwoon. You've got me cheering for you, remember? Stability is everything to some, but for other professions - as long as the passion is there, I believe you could get through anything." 

Taekwoon about expected this response. He knew the words that he had said, as he said it to himself thousands of times before. He could only let out a sigh as he collapsed into his arms, thinking of his long day ahead of him. 

\--------

Wonshik smiled down at his phone as he waited by the break room for the start of his shift. He stared fondly at the photo of his french bulldog Butt as he sat in a pile of snow looking adorable as always. His good friend Jaehwan had taken out Butt for a stroll right after he left for work. All Wonshik asked in return was aesthetic photos of his dog. 

Upon giggling to himself for the tenth time at the picture, he set it as his lock screen wallpaper and composed himself as he saw that it was time for work. Tightening the red apron around his waist, Wonshik glanced at a mirror and adjusted his bangs quickly before heading out. He headed to the front of the store with extra shopping bags in tow to give to incoming customers, when he caught a wiff of something familiar. 

It took a moment for his brain to register the scent, but a flash of the weird memory he had the day before struck him and it made him stop in his steps. It was Snowkissed Citrus. He was sure of it. But what was it doing smelling so strong around him as if a whole bucket of it had spilled before him? 

A line of people exiting the store came his way, making him take a step to the side to avoid them. That movement caused him to bump shoulders into another customer. When he turned his head to courteously apologize, he was met nearly eye to eye with them. It was rare to meet someone nearly the same height as him, especially where he worked. This customer was exceptionally handsome though, with features that caught the eye -- a physique that screamed tone, and legs that were made for models. He had a small coffee in his hand, and a messenger bag slung across his shoulder. 

But only one thing was concerning him -- the overwhelming scent of Snowkissed Citrus practically coming off the customer in waves. 

What was going on?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol so this was fun to write. I hope whoever reads this enjoyed it, and that maybe they'll stick around in case this story updates. Also, I've never written anything for AO3 before so this was a nice change of pace.
> 
> Later~
> 
> P.S I love VIXX with my whole ass heart.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wonshik has bumped into Taekwoon?! What happens after!!??

After his meetup with Hakyeon, Taekwoon decided to take a breather for himself and go window shopping at the nearby mall. It was after all the holiday season. Who knows what early deals he would be able to find for his friends and family. So he strolled around the mall with his second coffee of the day, looking for nothing in particular.

A buzz of a new message from his phone made him slow in his gait. He pulled it from the pocket of his wool coat and squinted at the photo of Hakyeon's finger heart reflected back to him. Following was a warm encouraging message of "fighting~!" and a smile. Taekwoon sent back an indifferent emoji with a blank face and immediately received Hakyeon's reply of the crying one. The usual.

A sound of a surprised yelp brought him back to his senses as he glanced up to see a woman frozen in front of him with an expression of awe. He pocketed his phone quickly as the woman reached into her purse and pulled out what looked like a sketchbook.

"I-I'm a fan of your work!" The woman stuttered out as a furious blush heated her cheeks.

At the sight, Taekwoon gave her a small smile as she flicked through her pages in a flustered matter. He was sure that she had found him through Hakyeon's SNS. The man was never afraid to post who he was friends with -- even going to the extent of tagging them and linking any of their work with it.

From what he could see, the woman had pages filled with various sketches of models and clothes and appeared to be in her college years. When she fumbled in her bag for a pen after reaching a blank page, Taekwoon let out a quiet chuckle before he pulled one from his own and gently took the sketchbook from her hands. As he signed the blank page, he could feel bubble of excitement next to him and glanced over to see her eager eyes over the raised cellphone pointed his way.

After a quick photo, many thanks, bows and more curious glances, Taekwoon continued his stroll and found himself in one of the scented stores. Thinking of his stock of lotions and sprays in his apartment, he decided that perhaps it was time to restock. So he wandered to the new scents and sniffed out a few, keeping a mental list of what he liked. Only a few minutes in and a waft of something fruity invaded his senses.

Taekwoon felt a bump from behind and before he could identify the smell and turn to move out of the way, he suddenly felt frozen in place. Once his gaze met the clerk's next to him, his vision went white and all he could see was powdered white snow around him and the citrus like scent from before. Another blink and the snow was gone, replaced by the figure of the tall clerk that stood in front of him. He seemed to be experiencing the same thing because he stood there, just as frozen and shocked as he was. Taekwoon furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and opened his mouth to say something when the man beat him to it.

"I'm so sorry for that, sir. Would you like a shopping bag to hold your purchases?" The clerk said after clearing his throat, appearing to shake off whatever just occurred.

Taekwoon blinked in silence for a moment.

Right, it was better to ignore this rather than deal with what it meant. Something as peculiar as that was better off not addressing -- especially in such a world as simple and normal as this. It was better to ignore this strikingly handsome (yet soft at the same time) man and go about his day with what he first intended to do.

Whatever would set the universe back in motion.

\--------

"Wonshik~!" Jaehwan's warm voice greeted him at the door as he lunged for a hug.

The man in question ducked away from the swoop of arms and ran after his excited bulldog that proceeded to wiggle his cute little butt in excitement. As he walked away from his friend's annoyed whines, Wonshik lifted Butt into his arms and looked up at him like a father would a son.

"Butt!! Have you been good today? Did you have a good walk?" He asked as his dog stared back at him with his tongue lolling. From what he could see, Butt looked excited and cuter as ever.

"Of course he did! He was with me the entire time." Jaehwan pitched in as he came around with a small pout on his lips. Wonshik met his feigned annoyed stare with a grin before setting down Butt and patting his head.

"So are we going out for dinner or not?" He asked as he took off his shoes to wander towards his room. Jaehwan trailed after him still in house clothes and opened his own room with a bump of his hip.

"Yes! Just give me a moment, dear~"

The sizzle of the seafood dish in front of them filled their ears as they watched and waited in the restaurant. Wonshik took a quick sniff of the dish and sighed in content.

"Hey, want to hear something weird?" He started before taking a gulp of tea beside him. Jaehwan's attention on the dish shifted up to Wonshik's as he gave him a smile of curiosity, the metal chopsticks in his hand clicking in anticipation.

"I'm all ears."

After revealing to him what he had been experiencing for the past day and a half, Wonshik finally realized he had not taken a bite to eat and proceeded to stuff himself. Jaehwan sat across him in thought, his eyes wandering around as he chewed his food. Wonshik saw the look of realization in his eye and waited as his friend gulped down water quickly and tried not to choke.

"Okay, before you freak out on me just take a listen." Jaehwan started as he pointed his chopsticks to Wonshik before grabbing a piece of potato.

"There's this... phenomenon going around that's a bit out there. This world is too normal for it, but somehow it exists. Soulmates that revolve around scents. Ever heard of it?"

Wonshik squinted at his friend suspiciously. He had heard his coworkers talk about it from time to time but never paid it any special attention. Soulmates being real? In this sort of simple world? Impossible. That was why he pretended like nothing happened when he ran into that man. He couldn't acknowledge something as crazy as a soulmate -- let alone some weird scent coming off of someone, so specific that it didn't come off anyone else.

"You think...that what I'm going through is real?" Wonshik slowly asked as he leaned forward, skeptical.

"I think...that you should keep this in the back of your mind. Just in case you run into him and it happens again."

And so Wonshik did. He kept it in the back of his mind at work, while he ate, while he walked Butt, while he worked out and sweated most of his worries away. He waited each day for another chance encounter at his workplace but hadn't seen the mysterious legs-for-days man in a week.

It wasn't until his brain reminded him of the name of the coffee shop that was printed on the side of the cup that modelesque man held that day. The lettering jumped out to him so suddenly during his morning jog with Butt that weekend that he almost stumbled face first into a pole. He stood there in shock for a few moments, his breath appearing in front of him in puffs.

There was a buzz of excitement that flowed through his veins at the thought of running into him again. To catch the surprised look in his eye. To introduce himself --

Wait. He shouldn't go searching. It would be foolish to believe that any of this was real. Soulmates couldn't exist.

Wonshik pressed his lips together and glanced down to see Butt stare up at him with a happy loll of his tongue. The image made him chuckle as he knelt down to cup his dog's face in his hands.

"What do you think, Butt? What should I do?" He softly asked, stroking his dog's cheeks to see him close his eyes in content. "Heh, you just stay happy don't you?"

Butt barked back in agreement.

With a long sigh, Wonshik nodded to himself and decided right then and there -- he would go that coffee shop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back again! Thank you for all the lovely kudos/hits/subscriptions!! My smol self is very happy that this story has been getting read hehe. 
> 
> Hope that you all enjoyed this chapter! I'd love to know your thoughts! I can't be the only one who loves VIXX to this extent lol.
> 
> Later!


	3. Chapter 3

It was over a week now since Taekwoon last had his run in with the clerk. He was surprised to feel disappointed but perhaps it was best that he didn't go back to that store to seek him out. He already had stress of his own and wanting to seek for more adventure would probably backfire in the end. 

As Taekwoon made way for his favorite coffee shop he pulled out his phone and quickly checked his SNS. Someone had tagged him in a post. It was a photo of that woman from before. She was mentioning his work and for her followers to go check it out. With luck on his side, her followers might actually commission from him. 

A yawn escaped his throat as he entered the coffee shop and welcomed the aroma of roasted beans and steamed milk that came to greet him. With a sudden stop, he almost bumped into the person in front of him. That's right, it was around nine in the morning which meant quite the line. 

Given the line, Taekwoon figured he could set his stuff down and save a place at his favorite table. So he made a quick turn with a mental picture of his perfect spot painted in his head, when he froze for the second time today. 

There was someone sitting at his -- 

The shock of an individual sitting at his favorite spot dissipated only to be replaced by a burst of anxiety and excitement. He recognized the face that was staring down at his phone as he fiddled with the keys. The face that had been etched into his mind ever since he first saw it. 

Taekwoon wasn't aware he was walking to the table until his gaze met the store clerk's.

"You again?" Taekwoon greeted with a small quirk of his lips. 

The man before him was staring doe-eyed up at him and seemed to realize it as he took a sharp breath and scrambled to his feet. The resounding grate of the chair against the tile filled the establishment, gaining a few interested glances their way. 

Before the man could dash away in what seemed like fear, Taekwoon held a hand out and gestured back to the table. 

"Oh, it's okay. You were at the table first." He said before he raised his head to scan for any other empty tables. 

"Oh, that's alright. It seems like you're a regular, maybe I should -" 

Taekwoon flicked his gaze back to the man and was surprised to see his words falter. Interesting. 

The sound of steamers going off drew his attention, making him decide to do something strange. He set his stuff down in the seat across the store clerk's, flashed him a smile and went to order his drink. 

"It's strange running into each other again, isn't it?" Taekwoon started as he set his cup back to its saucer. 

The clerk sitting across him was just as strikingly handsome as he remembered. Dressed in a sweater and some jeans, Taekwoon also noted the multiple ear piercings and rings on his hands. 

"Uh, yes. I'm sorry again about bumping into you that one time. It was a much busier time last week." The clerk started, his voice coming out in a soft deep timbre. 

It surprised Taekwoon of how different his voice is compared to his appearance. But it suited him nicely.

"I'm Kim Wonshik. But I also go by Ravi." He introduced before extending a hand with a sheepish smile. 

"Jung Taekwoon. My alias is Leo." Taekwoon replied as he shook Ravi's hand. 

"Alias, huh? What work do you do?" Ravi asked with a spark of curiosity in his eyes. The genuine innocence in his expression caught Taekwoon off guard, making him warm. It had been a while since he received such raw interest in his work. Everything else had been digital or in person with people who knew what they wanted. 

"I'm an artist. Sketches and watercolors mainly. I work freelance." Taekwoon replied as he watched Ravi's expression mold into more interest. 

"That's great. Better than my job at the store." 

Ravi let out a soft chuckle before taking a sip of his drink. 

"Oh, we all have our reasons I'm sure." Taekwoon said as he propped his head in his hand. A grin slipped onto his lips.

"Speaking of your work, you didn't happen to see something when we bumped into each other last week, did you?" 

The way Ravi stiffened in front of him said it all.

\--------

It took all of Wonshik's will to not get up right then and there and run away. 

How the hell was he supposed to explain to this beautiful man about the possibility of being soulmates? Would he believe it? How was he even to go about telling him? Time was not on his side as the silence between them began to stretch on. Leo (what a lovely name) simply looked on in muted amusement. He would just try to explain -- slowly and as clearly as he could. 

"So you saw something too? Did you smell something in the air as well?" Wonshik started. Leo nodded in reply, his expression shifting to piqued interest. 

"Well I...I saw a vision of white snow around me." His brown eyed gaze lifted to meet Leo's attentive ones. There was an intensity there that he found compelling.

"I did too. Do you know if it means anything?"

"Yes, well...According to my friend, there's a phenomenon going around of soulmates that's based on smell. If you believe in that." 

Wonshik watched as Leo's expression clouded in thought. There was a furrow of his brow in confusion. Then it disappeared as his gaze shifted to meet his own.

"I think I would like to believe it." Leo replied, with a glint in his eyes. "As strange as it is, I must admit that there is a certain pull to you even while sitting right here." 

"E-Excuse me?" Wonshik spluttered, thoroughly caught off guard as he stared wide eyed at the man across him. Though once Leo's words sunk in, it occurred to him that he could feel the pull as well -- the only way he could identify it is as if his body was gravitating towards Leo in an attempt to be in his circle. 

Though how far would the pull go until it stopped completely? How close would they have to be? 

The thought made the back of his neck warm and the tips of his ears turn red. He could feel the pressure Leo's eyes trained on him as he glanced around nervously.

"Well, I feel the same." Wonshik said after he cleared his throat and let out a breath. 

He directed his attention back to Leo to see his brow raised with a shy smile on his face. For whatever reason he could not control, his lips pulled into a comfortable smile in response. He knew what to do next.

Wonshik lifted his phone and pulled up an app. As it opened, he turned the phone to Leo and grinned.

"Put in your number, Leo. Let's meet up."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the kudos yet again new readers!! I hope you enjoyed this update~ Let me know your thoughts!! Thank you for patiently waiting hehe


	4. Chapter 4

The cold bit at the back of Wonshik's throat as he lightly jogged along the pathway with Butt beside him. His earbuds blasted with the bass from the music that played on his phone. He jogged in place as he and Butt waited at a crosswalk, waiting for the sign to change. As he did, he heard a familiar ding from his phone and paused in his steps to check the notification. 

It was a message from Leo. 

Wonshik couldn't help the grin that graced his lips as he ran across the crosswalk and came to a slow walk to respond to his message. It had been a few days since he and Leo had met and spoke at the café -- when he decided to take initiative and get his number. That was the most outlandish thing he had ever done. How he had been able to do that with a confident smile was beyond him. 

He had taken a couple of shifts at work and wasn't able to coordinate anything with Leo until recently. They were to meet today, where Wonshik would get to see some of the artist's work. The thought of being able to see Leo's place of creation humbled him -- it made him wonder why he would even think of it as their first "meet up". Even though he only knew Leo for the length of two hours, Wonshik was sure the man would say something like "because I wanted to."

The scenario made him chuckle as he stepped into his apartment, kicking off any dirt on his shoes. Wonshik waited for Butt to do the same on the carpet before he let him inside and into the warmth. He let out a content sigh as he took off his shoes and sat on the floor to wipe Butt's feet. 

The apartment that he and Jaehwan shared was quiet -- his friend having gone to vocal lessons. No one except Wonshik and Jaehwan's family knew. But his friend had been scouted to an up and coming agency where he had been training as a singer. How the opportunity came about was another story. The gist of it was that Wonshik heard his friend singing passionately in the bathroom -- to which he barged into and scared the ever living fuck out of Jaehwan -- and reached out to his network of people. It was easy to see how much Jaehwan loved and adored singing, so it seemed that all he needed was a proper space to develop it. 

Wonshik although not as expressive as Jaehwan, also had a passion of his own. He quite enjoyed writing his own lyrics and songs. Jaehwan had caught on right away and would usually tell him to also go to the agency he was at. Wonshik would try, but every time he mustered up the courage to go, the little voice in his head with come alive. He was glad to have Butt around when it did. 

Wonshik softly laughed as he handed Butt his treats, seeing the bulldog's eyes sparkle. He took a glance at his watch and cursed to himself as he realized he was running a little behind schedule. A moment later he was splashing water onto his face and going through his skin routine. The faint hum of a song came from the speaker that sat at his bedside. 

The sound of hangers sliding on the holder filled the apartment as Wonshik filtered out what he did and didn't want to wear. As he hummed to the song under his breath, he checked himself out in the mirror and smoothed down the button up. With another glance at his watch and a toss of a leather jacket over his shoulder, Wonshik waved goodbye to Butt and made his way out the door. 

\--------

A breathy sigh escaped Taekwoon's lips as he paced and shook out his hands. As confident as he was in inviting Ravi over to his work space, the nerves only hit him as soon as he received a text saying that he was on his way over. His stomach churned with anxiety as his gaze flicked over to the time on his phone. 

"It'll be okay..." He said in attempt to comfort himself. 

However, one sweep over his space and his anxiety grew even further as he saw how insanely messy it was. His brain told him to clean, but it also told him that it was fine to messy. He was an artist after all. 

Taekwoon stared at the crumpled papers and discarded sketches in silence, chewing on his lips in thought before he let out a sound of exasperation. He ran a hand through his dark hair and began to pick up the crumpled pieces. As a small pile developed in his arms, the two loud knocks on the door startled for his attention, making him drop the bundle. He couldn't care less as he kicked a few out of the way and hurried to the door, not wanting to keep Ravi waiting. 

With a quick in-out of his breath, Taekwoon opened the door for Ravi with a smile. 

"Oh, Leo. I'm sorry for being a bit behind." Ravi greeted with a raise of his hand. He had an embarassed glow to his expression. 

What made Taekwoon blink in shock was the outfit that he adorned and fit so well in. A light blue button up layered with a black leather jacket, black jeans and some laced up boots. He felt the back of his neck heat up as he felt the familiar pre-destined pull at his gut towards the man. 

"No worries. Please come in." Taekwoon said after clearing his throat. He stepped aside to let Ravi enter his studio, catching the scent of his cologne as he passed. 

"I hope you don't mind the mess." He added as he quickly shut the door and tried to pick up the papers he had dropped.

"It's alright, my apartment is just as bad." Ravi chimed in as he knelt the floor and gathered a few stray paper balls in his direction. 

It took a lot for Taekwoon to not stare at his slender hands as he stood to bring the trashbin closer. The process of throwing them out was over in a moment, Taekwoon stepping over to his speaker to pair with his phone. As he started a chill playlist, he lifted his head to see Ravi walking around leisurely -- admiring his work. The look of appreciation in the man's expression sent a warm feeling to Taekwoon's cheeks. 

God, he needed a distraction. 

"Are you a tea type or coffee type?" Taekwoon called out as he prepared some cups and hot water in the kitchen. 

"Hm?" came in the distance as a response. It brought a small smile to his lips as he noticed his hands shaking while trying to place the cups in a tray. He took a moment to clasp his hands together and let out a breath. 

"Your work is phenomenal, Leo." Ravi complimented as he stirred his tea. His face still had the look of awe in them. It made Taekwoon's cheeks warm. 

"Thank you," He softly replied, the crown of his head sure to be showing as he stared at his drink. 

"I take it that you really like black and white then? Your place is just..." Ravi trailed off as his gaze went around the room. All of Taekwoon's furniture was an assortment of black and white. 

"Ah, yes. They compliment each other well." Taekwoon said as he lifted his gaze to catch Ravi's flicking back towards him. 

They spent the rest of the morning chatting with the soft music playing in the background. Soft laughter mixed with low chuckles bounced off the walls as Taekwoon got to know a little bit more of Ravi. He found out that Ravi liked to write songs, go to the gym and on runs, had a dog named Butt (to which Ravi showed him his lockscreen with a giggle), and interestingly enough lived with his longtime friend named Jaehwan. 

"Yeah, he is a bundle of energy but he means well." Ravi said as he rubbed the back of his head. 

"That sounds just like my friend." Taekwoon chuckled as an image of Hakyeon entered his mind. 

"Really? The next time we meet we should bring them. What do you think?" 

"I think that sounds chaotic." 

\--------

"I can't believe I get to meet this mystery Taekwoon you've been going on about." Jaehwan started with a smirk as he wrapped a scarf around his neck.

"Don't make me regret it." Wonshik teased as he shrugged on a jacket. "He's going to bring his friend too, so it's kind of like a group hangout." 

"Or a double date." 

Wonshik blinked at his friend's sentence and met the knowing stare in his eyes. A double date? Why would he --

"We're not dating, Jaehwan!" Wonshik exclaimed as his friend burst into laughter. He could feel the tips of his ears getting warm with embarassment. 

"Well you guys will eventually! You're soulmates!" 

"Maybe not all soulmates work out." 

In the beat of silence that followed, Wonshik raised his gaze from the floor to see concern in Jaehwan's expression. 

"Are you fighting? Are you okay? Please tell me you're joking." Jaehwan said as he stepped closer to Wonshik and put a hand on his arm. 

"Of course I'm joking!" Wonshik received a hit to his arm in response, a soft laugh escaping his lips. "But for real, we're not dating."

He could've sworn he heard Jaehwan mutter "yet" under his breath as they left the apartment. The two of them made their way to a portion of the city they frequented -- heading to the restaurant that Taekwoon told him. As they went up the stairs, Wonshik caught the tall familiar figure chatting with his friend at almost the same height. They stood at the railing, talking amicably with their breaths appearing in front of them from the cold. As he and Jaehwan reached the top, the two individuals turned and directed their attention to them. 

"Well, this must be Ravi." 

The man who spoke was the smaller of the two standing in front of him, his voice coming out soft but welcoming. He had on a wool coat, scarf, boots, a beanie and had the demeanor that radiated "look at me" even though he didn't even have to try. 

Before Wonshik could even reply, Jaehwan inhaled sharply beside him and mumble "oh, shit." 

"What's wrong?" Wonshik whispered as he turned see his friend looking dazed before he shook himself out. Jaehwan met his concerned look with a small excited smile. 

"Oh nothing. Only that this man is my soulmate."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yayyy more development!!! I hope you guys enjoyed reading it! As always, let me know your thoughts!


	5. Chapter 5

"You're telling me that our two friends are soulmates?" Taekwoon whispered to Ravi as the four of them stood outside the restaurant. They had just finished grabbing dinner and were chatting among themselves for the moment.

Ravi nodded next to him with an excited look in his eye. It felt rather coincidental that the two of their friends were soulmates - as if by fate set in motion by their own soulmate situation. The thought of it brought a small relieved smile to Taekwoon's lips as he watched Hakyeon request for Jaehwan's social media accounts. The man was practically glowing with excitement, Jaehwan also matching his energy. Hakyeon had been whining to him about not being able to find someone in his life for quite some time now, so it was heartwarming to see that even he too could have a soulmate.

The noise of Ravi clearing his throat made Taekwoon glance over to see his hands stuffed in his coat pockets. Gosh, even just like this under the streetlight he looked handsome. The sight made his heart ache as he found himself reaching forward to adjust the scarf around his neck. The movement brought the two closer together, both not noticing until they looked up from Taekwoon's busy hands.

"O-oh... thank you." Ravi softly said as his hand came up to hold one of Taekwoon's. He held his gaze quietly, a precious moment passing between the two. He could've sworn Ravi would've said something else if Hakyeon hadn't grabbed their attention with the clap of his hands.

"Okay, lovebirds! The night is still young and I don't have any shoots tomorrow till later. Jaehwan and I were going to get drinks, want to come?"

Taekwoon saw the wide smile on his friend's face, his expression practically asking the both of them to not take the offer. A glance over to Jaehwan also said the same. It made him chuckle at how eager the two were to get to know more about each other.

"What do you think, Ravi?" Taekwoon asked as he glanced over to see a thoughtful look in his eye.

"Don't come home too late, Jaehwan." He replied as a smirk slipped onto his lips, two fingers coming up to salute his friend.

What Taekwoon didn't expect was for Ravi to loop an arm through his and lead him down the stairs after saying goodnight to the two new soulmates. He didn't even register he was cold until he felt how warm Ravi was standing next to him.

"I'm sorry if that seemed too sudden, I could definitely read the mood though." Ravi said with a chuckle, his gaze meeting Taekwoon's.

"Oh yeah? Well what about the mood here?" Taekwoon asked, a sly smirk gracing his lips. He couldn't help himself when his hands found its way into the man"s scarf.

Ravi's eyes had followed his movements before flicking to meet his. There was a moment of surprise before his expression molded into a warm playfulness.

"This mood? Hm, I wonder." He began as he pretended to glance up to the night sky in thought.

Taekwoon saw the pull at Ravi's lips as he broke into a grin, the sight of him looking like that decidedly breaking whatever else was left of his self-control. Slowly, he lifted a hand to cup Ravi's cheek, effectively catching his startled gaze. There was a beat of silence between the two of them, their breaths mixing together in the crisp air as they only stared at each other.

"I like you, Ravi and I can tell you that you feel something too. So why don't we -"

Taekwoon's whispered words were cut off when all he could register was the soft press of lips against his. His gaze focused itself onto Ravi's softened expression as he pulled himself a hair's breadth away. When he looked into his brown eyed gaze and saw a fondness there, Taekwoon could've sworn he gasped.

"Wonshik. Call me Wonshik."

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Wonshik stared after Taekwoon's car disappearing into the distance in a trance, the events of the night after the dinner returning to him in a flash. The bright look in Taekwoon's eyes as they walked to a nearby park and took a moment to relish in the nightlife and the glow of the moon. The buzz of adrenaline that had filled his veins when he closed the distance between them remained as they leaned against a railing, hands laced together. The look of longing that Wonshik couldn't get enough of from Taekwoon even after they stood in front of his apartment door, kissing with barely any space between them.

He would've rather stayed like that, or perhaps brought Taekwoon inside to see where else it could've gone -- yet both of their jobs called for them the next day, bright and early. So Wonshik had pulled away reluctantly, catching the way Taekwoon pouted with the pink dust of his cheeks and the pure want in his eyes. He couldn't stop the endearing laugh that escaped his lips as he lifted a hand to grab one of Taekwoon's in his.

"Can I see you tomorrow?" Wonshik asked as he suddenly found himself unable to stop smiling.

"Of course."

Taekwoon's warm expression had burned itself into the back of Wonshik's eyes as he found himself staring into space with a bottle of soap in his hands. It wasn't as busy of a day at work and he had been put in charge of restocking some of the shelves. He shook himself out of his daze, only to find himself staring at the name of the scent that started it all. The vision of the two of them surrounded by snow returned to him in a flash -- making him realize that it had yet to come true. It made him wonder whether it ever would, considering that both he and Taekwoon had seen the same thing. He decided to make a note to ask Jaehwan about it later where he would hopefully see him again at their apartment.

Judging by how Wonshik didn't see his roommate's pair of shoes besides his the next morning as he left for work, of course he assumed what happened between the two new lovers. Although it brought a smile to his face, it made him question if those two were moving too fast. Or were he and Taekwoon moving too slow? Given that he had just finally reconnected with the artist after a week, he thought that the pace they were going at was decent.

His thoughts still lingered on the topic as he sat beside Taekwoon in his working space, cross-legged and eyes attentive on the man sketching. The raven haired artist's gaze was concentrated on his work, what appeared to be a portrait of a client. Then Wonshik watched with interest as he suddenly stopped and lifted his head to meet his stare.

"What are you thinking about?" He softly asked, a toothy smile on his face. A discarded canvas and long arms wrapped around Wonshik with Taekwoon nuzzled into his neck later, the man in question gave a hum.

"Hmm, about us. The concept of soulmates." Wonshik started as he absentmindedly ran a hand through Taekwoon's hair. "Do you think there are those who don't work out? Even though they're destined to be together?"

The artist lifted his head to meet his gaze curiously, a thoughtful look in his eye. "Well, I'm sure some do exist, yes. Here, let's check it out."

Taekwoon pulled away for a moment to grab his phone and flopped back into Wonshik's arms that wrapped around his torso as he typed a search related to "scent-related soulmates". 

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Their night ended earlier than expected, Wonshik getting a call from Jaehwan about food and Butt missing him. Taekwoon only hugged him tighter after the it ended, feeling his body shake as he chuckled. He's never felt such a strong need to be with him, but it's been happening more and more and he can't do anything to stop it. It hurt his heart to have to be away from him for too long. He wondered if Wonshik hurt the same way. 

"I...have to go," Wonshik quietly said in his ear, the rumble of his voice burying itself into Taekwoon's bones. 

"Okay." 

He pulled away from the man beneath him, wanting to memorize the way he stared up at him. Wonshik's eyes crinkled as he gave him a grin, his hand coming up to the back of his neck to pull him closer. 

"Don't look so sad, Taekwoon. I'm just going home." He said with amusement, eyes bright. There was a hint of pink on his cheeks though as he said it, the hand at the back of Taekwoon's neck switching to caress his cheek sweetly. 

"I know...I just..." Taekwoon trailed off as he felt what he'd like to call the _soulmate pull_ from now on, tug at him once more. "I hurt when I don't get to see you."

"Then...I guess that means we just have to see each other more." Wonshik cheekily said with a smirk before he leaned up to give Taekwoon a quick peck. 

With another quick hug and the soft shut of the front door, the man who somehow had taken home in Taekwoon's entire heart left for the night. He took a moment and sat back down on the couch, running his hands through his hair. Whispers of "wow" escaped his lips as his brain caught up with his words, the impact that his soulmate had on him finally hitting. 

What they read before about soulmates was pretty much true. A soulmate's entire body and soul reaches for the other, waiting to be accepted and loved with the same degree and intensity. However, it was possible for a soulmate to be rejected - they read a case about a pair that met, fell in love, fell out of love, and proceeded to fall apart. Literally and figuratively. If the soulmate is not accepted with the same degree, the individual will start to crumble - levels of energy at a low, no drive, spirit - the beginnings of a soulless husk that only exists to serve society. 

Taekwoon knew that what they had was real and pure. He could feel it in the way Wonshik looked at him, in his smile, and the warmth of his actions. 

It was real. 

It was _real_...but...

That tiny, minuscule bit of _uncertainty_ dipped its finger into the pool of what Taekwoon thought was going absolutely fantastically great. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys! I know it's been a while since a new update lol I honestly was at a block and was unsure if I should continue this fic or not...but as you can see I updated! Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think!


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